Seldom can a story about grooming children, death, depression and paralysis generate constant moments of laughter.

But that's what Sell A Door Theatre Company’s production of The History Boys achieves.

Theatre Royal Brighton was packed on a Monday night to a foul-mouthed tirade of a story which probably better suits a younger generation than the more experienced theatre-goer which seemed to dominate the audience.

This was typified by the guffaw that greeted the most callous of all the curses.

Big shows recently have relied on huge musical ensembles and military-precision choreography to wow the audience, but you only need one hand to count the songs in this one.

Each one stars Steven Roberts, who, despite making his stage debut, steals the show.

Kedar Williams-Stirling and Richard Hope are poignant when they need to be, and the moments of comedy are delivered sharply by Susan Twist and Christopher Ettridge.

When the actors pause in the story, the whole theatre joins them in an eerie silence.

To grip the audience for more than two hours with only a handful of songs and a set which never leaves the classroom just shows the quality of story-telling.